CORNBREAD AND CHOPSTICKS

Sunday Snapshot - Happy Birthday Charlie

2012-01-29T00:24:00.002-05:00

Charlie

If I had to describe Charlie in one word, that word would be...

FUN!!!!

My sweet Charlie likes to have fun and...

MAKE FUN!!

Charlie never takes things too seriously so on the few occasions that he gets upset...

he really gets upset...

but it never lasts long (it never does with boys, does it - heh)...

and our sunshine child is back

ready for the next adventure...

and with Charlie...

there are LOTS of adventures!

Yep, our Charlie keeps us on our toes!

He keeps us laughing...

and shaking our heads! Hehe!

Charlie, however, is that rare combination of fun and funny

and caring

and compassionate

and oh so sweet!

He still hugs his Momma

Although not usually in front of his friends!

Many times he is the peacemaker in our house...

even though he is usually the one "disturbing the peace!" Hehe!

and now...

He is 12 years old!!

One year away from teenagerhood!!

Gulp!

To celebrate his 12th birthday, he wanted to play football

with a bunch of boys

a bunch of wild boys who

apparently don't know the meaning of 2 hand touch

or NO tackle

DAD!!!!!

Sigh!

We had "C" cupcakes

and Che*tos

unfortunately we forgot the wipes! Ha!

It was a great day

for a great kid!!

I think I will end with Charlie's own personal signature on his phone

Charlie is...

We love you sweet Charlie Boo and hope that all your days will be

To read more Sunday Snapshots, go here

Tomorrow...

2012-01-27T23:29:00.000-05:00

Is somebody's birthday...

12! Really???

Stay tuned!

The Rest of the Story...

2012-01-22T15:14:00.002-05:00

Can't you just hear Paul Harvey's voice saying that???

Hehe!

So, if you did not read Friday's post, you really need to go back to this post and catch up.

Go ahead, we will wait...

OK, now that you are caught up, let me tell you the rest of the story!

On Friday's post, we left off with my beautiful friend Angie blessing us with a pair of blue jeans and a wonderful friend of hers donating a laptop that they were not really using much anymore.

Blue jeans and laptops - an answer to prayer and a confirmation from the Lord.

We have begun to ask...

and He is answering, in some very beautiful ways and through some very beautiful souls

and in answering, He is revealing to us His faithfulness and His desire for us to give it all to Him and just trust that He will provide, that He is working on our behalf, even when we don't see it, He is working.

I see this all the time in the adoption community. Families stepping out in faith, trusting that the Lord will provide all that they need to bring their children home and He does, over and over again.

So, we asked for blue jeans and boy did we ever get blue jeans.

We asked for a workable laptop and not only did some beautiful family donate thiers but our wonderful neighbors fixed our old one.

He provided and we were completely blown away and in awe of all that He had done.

and then...

Friday night happened...

I was getting the girls ready for bed.

Hubby was at the grocery store - with his coupons - I know - cool right???

Anyway, my dear friend Kim, called me - at 9:00 at night - something's not right - her bedtime is 9:00 - I know not to call her after 8:30 at night - hehe!

Then our doorbell rang - at 9:00 at night - again, something's not right - it's 9:00 at night - I have already washed all of my makeup off - I am NOT going to that door - EEK!

but Em does...

and calls me to the door - with NO makeup on:)

only to find this

and a car speeding off into the night!

As we bring this envelope into the house, the girls are asking questions - questions I cannot answer.

What is it Mommie? "I don't know."

Who is it from Mommie? "I don't know."

Open it Mommie. "OK"

For some reason, my hands started to shake but I managed to open the envelope

and when I saw what was inside, my whole body started to shake!

Yep, God answers prayers and He is always working, even when we don't see Him working.

Through all the frustrating nights that I was up until one in the morning, waiting for my computer to catch up to my fingers, waiting for my computer to free up enough disk space for me to be able to load it up again with more pictures of children who wait, there are always so many children who wait (sigh), waiting for my computer to restart itself after freezing for the umpteenth time, waiting...

and all that time, He was working and I just didn't know it until...

I looked into that envelope, that envelope that contained the sweetest note - to Hubby and me -

that envelope that also held money

lots of money

$700 to be exact - for a new computer - a faster computer - a computer that will allow me to help those precious waiting children AND get a decent night's sleep! Yippee!!!!

Now I was shaking

and crying

and sobbing

and praising the Lord for the sweetest, most generous, most caring, most faithful group of friends, some of whom I have the privilege and joy of knowing in person and some of whom I have never met in person but feel like I have!

I did not know what to do...

so I prayed

I sat down with the girls and just prayed and thanked the Lord for all that He had been doing while I waited and then...

I called Hubby - at the grocery store - and put him on speaker phone - but we were speech * less...

and then I called the one person who I was pretty sure was behind it all (may I add a word of warning here - do not tell dear sweet Kim J a secret and expect her to keep it - hehe - lesson learned - ha)

anyway, I called wonderful Angie and well just sobbed and then well sobbed some more.

I think I got a coherent thank you out at some point during the sobbing but if I didn't...

THANK YOU TO SWEET ANGIE

THANK YOU TO EVERY SINGLE WONDERFUL FRIEND WHO DONATED.

Money is tight for us all and many of you, I know, are trying to raise money of your own to bring your children home or pay bills or put food on the table or or or...

I cannot even put into words the depth of gratitude and awe and overwhelming sense of thankfulness I feel. I cannot adequately describe this feeling of complete appreciation for all of you, my wonderful friends, whom the Lord has so graciously brought into my life.

I praise Him and thank Him for you all, every single one of you.

You are all

and

I am learning and growing and I have you all to thank for much of my journey and there is just no way to tell you all just how much that means to me - how much you all mean to me.

I am learning to be patient in the wait, learning to have joy in the wait, learning to trust that He will provide and He will provide in amazing ways - through amazing people!!!!

To read other Sunday Snapshots go here

Yep... Blue Jeans, Laptops and God

2012-01-21T00:40:00.000-05:00

What do they have in common?

Well, I am sitting here in my blue jeans working on my new computer AND my repaired computer

AND I am praising God, but there is more to the story...

and it is all about trust...

and faithfulness...

and blue jeans...

and yes, laptops!

You see, we have been on a journey and it has been hard at times and it has been wonderful most of the time and it has been FULL of trust...

and faithfulness...

It started a very, very long time ago but I will save that for another day.

Recently, however, our journey has kicked it up a notch, throttled full speed ahead and while it has, at times, been full of potholes, we are moving closer to our destination than I ever thought we would be...

and that makes all the bumps in the road so beautifully worth it.

So, it started with a pair of blue jeans.

Yep, a pair of blue jeans.

Ever heard the expression

Yeah, well hubby needed blue jeans and we could not afford to buy him new jeans and the local Good Will had NONE in his size and we had patched and repatched his old jeans to the point of no return so...

We prayed

for blue jeans

really

and ya know what

we got blue jeans

lots of blue jeans

it was raining blue jeans!

Seriously, it started when I shared our prayer request to ONE friend -one friend, my dear friend, Angie - Rylands Family. I felt a little silly asking for her to pray for blue jeans for us but it just came out of my mouth before I could get it back! Sometimes that happens with me! Heh!

Blue jeans!

So, I went on my merry way, praying for blue jeans, feeling rather silly doing so but praying none the less.

Well, the next day, Angie and I were at our biweekly adoption chat and guess what?

She and her sweet hubby had found a pair of blue jeans - at the thrift store - in the exact size we needed - in like new condition!

OK, wow! I was praising the Lord for blue jeans - but it gets better!

The very next day while we were at Christian's flag football game a dear friend of ours gave us...

you guessed it

Blue jeans!

A big huge box filled with blue jeans!

They were not for hubby but for the kids but they were in GREAT shape (do you know how hard it is to find hand me down, boys jeans with both knees still intact - almost impossible I say - ha) and there were SO many that I was actually able to give a few pairs back to Angie for her growing boys!

God is just so good!

OK, so the lord provided blue jeans, however, in the mean time, my computer crashed and burned!

I was internetless, disconnected and unable to advocate as I had been.

It was so frustrating as, from my phone, I watched my inbox fill to the brim. Requests for info and advocacy that had to go unanswered because I was computerless!

My old computer was well, old and had always had problems but hubby has always been able to slap a bandaid on there and it would work for a while longer until...

Last weekend!

Last weekend my computer crashed and this time, hubby just could not kiss it and make it all better.

So we prayed and I posted my prayer request

just once

and do you know what the Lord did?

Almost as soon as I posted the request, I get a text from my sweet neighbor demanding that I bring my laptop over there so her hubby could fix it or she was going to come and get it herself...

cause that is what her hubby does and does well!

Now I know my sweet neighbor and I knew that she meant what she said! Hehe!

So, I took it and he fixed it and even made it a bit better and faster - cause y'all it was S - L - O - W!

So I was thanking my wonderful neighbors and praising the Lord when...

I find out that a friend of a friend saw my post and wanted to DONATE one of their laptops - to me!

Really???? Me????

I was speechless and so incredibly thankful and could not have imagined how great the Lord would bless me through these beautiful souls!

When I went to pick up my new computer, I found out that it was Red and that Red had written me a little note!

How great is that!

Everyone was so excited to have not one but TWO working laptops in the house

there was much rejoicing! Hehe

especially from this one!

So, blue jeans, laptops and God

Not a usual combination of words but a combination of love and faithfulness and trust that has moved my heart and taken me just a bit farther in my walk with the Lord.

Thank you to my sweet neighbors and to Red's former family and to our wonderful Father who is always there to answer our prayers!

Now, while I thought this was to be the end of this post, I quickly found out tonight that there is SO much more - SO much more!

Stay tuned...

I'm Baaack...

2012-01-20T06:09:00.001-05:00

with blue jeans - laptops - and the Lord's faithfulness

Stay Tuned...

I HATE MY COMPUTER!

2012-01-16T00:13:00.001-05:00

UGH! I am once again having serious computer issues which make it really hard to blog! Sigh!

I am hoping that my amazing hubby will be able to work his magic soon!!!

MEANWHILE, I AM TRYING TO BE PATIENT!

NOT WORKING OUT TOO WELL:)

I Only Have Four!

2012-01-12T08:32:00.000-05:00

You have got to watch this! Amazing! It is rather long but you don't have to watch the whole thing to get the picture!

If only my kids listened this well! Hehe!

Suddenly I am feeling almost "normal." Heh!

Sunday Snapshot - A Little Girl...

2012-01-07T15:46:00.000-05:00

There is a little 7 year old girl on my heart.

A little girl in China who came to me as a file; a name, an age and a special need but became so much more.

A little girl in China who was abandoned at the tender at of 4 years old, in the Spring right before we brought our Lizzie home.

A little girl in China whose needs were, mostly likely, far beyond what her birth parents could help her with.

She was 4 years old. Maybe they tried to help her, maybe not but I can only imagine what that must have felt like, to abandon your child whom you had loved for 4 years, your child whose legs were so bent and weak that she could not walk, your child who would not get the help she needed if she stayed with you, your child who would hopefully get the help she needed with someone else, but at such a price.

So, at 4 years old this precious child lost all that she had ever known and began her life in an orphanage.

She became a file, a number on a list with 2000 other kids who are reduced to an age, a gender and a special need.

When she came to me, however, she became "Cherry."

When she came to me, her story broke my heart and that was all it took!

I was done for!

Sweet Cherry just had to find a family. I didn't think it would take long. I mean, she is not that old, she cannot walk well but she is determined and I know ALL about that from our Lizzie. With the right equipment and some good PT, she would do well. She is cute, oh so cute and from her file, so incredibly sweet.

Easy, right?

Wrong.

She sat and sat and no one even asked about her.

No one.

Not once.

So, in my advocacy for her, and as God would have it, a beautiful friend of mine emailed me and asked if she could help Cherry in some way.

Um, YESSSSSS!!!

But how...

It wasn't easy as her orphanage is in a remote location and not easy to get to but through the grace of God and my wonderful friend, we were able to get some video, some beautiful, heart breaking video, video that told us what we needed to do for sweet Cherry.

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Sweet Cherry is using a stool to help her to walk but it hasn't seemed to dampen her spirit or her determination. Cherry falls down - a lot - but she gets herself up, brushes herself off and tries again...

and she does all of this without the help of a walker, without the help of braces, without the love and support of a family but - without complaint.

Love Without Boundaries ( go here to check out this wonderful organization ) was able to get a wheelchair donated that just so happen to fit her perfectly, of course.

Thank you Lord.

However, we have to get it to her and that is expensive.

We were thrilled with the fact that sweet Cherry would now have a way to get around a bit easier and faster, but we also knew that she would benefit greatly from a walker ( a real walker - not a wooden stool ) and braces to straighten and strengthen her legs and once again through Love Without Boundaries, the Lord provided and my wonderful friend was able to get the braces donated.

Praise Him!

The walker, however, is not donated and is expensive, but I know better than to impose a limit on the Lord and what He can do, so I am asking for donations, I am asking for $600.

While that figure makes me break out into a cold sweat, I am full of faith and confidence that the Lord will provide all that we need, that through my wonderful readers, the Lord will help this child to have what she needs to be able to participate easier in her life, to be able to walk a bit more steadily, to maybe not fall down quite as much and to help her to know that she is not just a number, a gender and a special need.

SHE IS SO MUCH MORE!

I hope this donation will not only help her physically but also help her to know that she is loved and prayed for and thought about and worthy, oh so worthy!!

Love Without Boundaries has graciously agreed to collect the donations and get all of this to sweet Cherry, a beautiful little 7 year old girl in China who is NOT FORGOTTEN.

Please pray about this, about Cherry and if you feel so led, please click here to donate. Just make certain that you write in the notes section - "Orphanage assistance: Cherry's fund"

If you just cannot donate right now but want to help, please pass this link along anywhere and everywhere and pray for this beautiful, worthy, child of God.

Thank you so very much.

To read more Sunday Snapshots please go here,

Ya Never Know...

2012-01-05T23:52:00.000-05:00

What you will find when you go searching for your fav pics of the year!

I just happen to stumble upon a little piece of video that I had totally forgotten about!

Life from an eight year old's perspective!

Dramamine anyone???? Hehe!

Oh and remember this one?

I STILL cannot explain that one!

Oh and this is one of my all time favorite video clips from 2011.

That's my girl! hehe!

I just cannot leave the older 2 out!

They are very smart - really they are - really!!! Heh!

Gotta end with these two cause they are just too sweet to leave out:)

My top ten or twenty or thirty pics of 2011 is coming soon - I hope! LOL!

Quiet As A Mouse

2012-01-04T23:30:00.000-05:00

I know that is how it has been over here recently!

It is amazing how just one little weekend away - from my computer - put me SO far behind!

Sigh!

Going back to school did NOT help and the sleep deprivation that accompanies going back to school has made for some cranky chillin...

which makes for one cranky momma!

I promise I will be back with my top ten pic of 2011...

just not tonight! Hehe!

but soon:)

Sunday Snapshot - The Christmas Gift

2011-12-25T21:21:00.001-05:00

There were lots of gifts this year.

Lots of wrapping and

unwrapping and yays and thank yous and WOW's and "you shouldn't have's"

well, maybe not that last one! Hehe!

There were baby dolls and (sigh) Barbie dolls and Squinkies (huh?)

There were Leggos and video games, clothes and footballs!

The best gift of all, however, was this...

This was from my amazing hubby and while I am not quite ready to explain, I pray that one day soon...

I will be explaining and praising and Thanking our Father,

Thank you Kim!

To see our attempt at a Christmas pic, go here - always entertaining! Hehe!

Merry Christmas and good night!

To read more Sunday Snapshots go here,

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-24T09:11:00.001-05:00

So, I really cannot believe that Christmas is already here!

Ya know as a child, Christmas seemed to take foooooorever to arrive but somehow as a grown up, it seems to arrive, well about as soon as the Halloween candy has been consumed!

It doesn't help that the stores all start peddling their Christmas wares before the Halloween candy has even been dispensed! Ugh!

This year, heck every year, as soon as the kids are sprung, ways to keep the troops entertained includes things like, well - FOOD - making food and consuming food!

We usually start with our traditional "Reindeer Food."

Talk about a sugar rush! This is what we leave out (what's left of it anyway) for Santa's reindeer...

to help them fly!

I always tell the kids that they are welcome to eat it but they are NOT allowed to fly!

Email me for the recipe cause...

It is good, y'all!

Next it was time to make Christmas cookies only I waited until the very last minute to buy the sugar cookies and guess what...

They were all out!

No kidding!

There were NO more sugar cookies to be had!

Seriously - none!

So...

we made Christmas brownies...

with icing....

LOTS of icing....

at Mom's house - thank goodness! Hehe!

no one seemed to mind

the lack of sugar cookies cause believe me

there was LOTS of sugar! Heh!

So after all those full bellies it was time for...

Gulp!

The annual Christmas picture!

It is the same every year

We get ONE decent picture

out of about

Oh I don't know...

maybe about

well...

this much!

I really don't mind though because...

THIS is our life and...

I wouldn't have it any other way!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Wordless Wednesday - Danielle's Story

2011-12-21T12:10:00.000-05:00

Outstretched Arms: Danielle's Story: Please scroll down and read about these other kids (especially Kyle) that NEED families.

Time...

2011-12-20T00:20:00.000-05:00

There is just not enough of it...

especially with this ole guy...

Our sweet Kendall

who came into our lives late in his years

who came into our lives with an already grey muzzle and a crooked smile from years of seizures...

who came into our lives with a great loss but also with a heart ready to love and be loved.

He never demanded attention but was always there for a pat or a hug or a dropped morsel of delicious people food.

He liked to bark (at nothing) but he loved his family and had his own very special way of protecting us.

Kendall first came to us in November of 2008, when his elderly owner passed away and the (so called - harumph) family decided to send him to the pound. He stayed with us for 9 terrific months, until a family was found for him and we said what we thought was goodbye to our sweet old soul.

That very sweet family kept him for almost a year and a half until they could no longer care for him and that is when our Kendall came back to us, for good, in March of 2011.

Grateful Goldens asked us to be his permanent foster family and there was NO way we were going to let him go again!

Kendall was home for good.

Kendal came back to us a good bit older and a good bit rounder and needed "encouragement" to make it up the stairs - every day.

but he was much like our Lizze, a very determined old soul and up until the end, usually made it up those steps!

Kendall also needed meds to help with his seizures, every day but with his love of food, that was easy:)

Most of all though, Kendall needed love - every day and we were more than happy to help him with all his needs because...

He was Kendall, the sweetest, gentlest, wisest, most loving old soul, who even liked the cats!

Heck, he even liked the kids!!! Hehe!

He was my ever faithful and loving shadow and I had to say goodbye to him today.

It was hard...

so, so hard but it was time.

He had a tumor that had spread to his spinal cord and had paralyzed him from the shoulders down but even in his confusion and with his broken, precious body, he looked for me, he listened for me, he reached for me and I pray he found comfort with me.

His head was in my lap, his eyes were fixed with mine and as I stroked his wonderful, crooked, grey muzzle, he peacefully slipped away.

His time had come but I find myself feeling a little bit cheated out of all the years I missed with him and wishing for more, more time.

I am missing my faithful shadow tonight but I am comforted in the prayer of my sweet Lizzie.

"Dear Lord, please love Kendall and help him to play with Dingo and Maggie and Cricket and Tippy and Grace, oh and please help him to see Gada again. Amen"

Amen sweet girl.

We miss you Kendall and loved you far more than 19 months could ever hold.

Sunday Snapshot - Chopsticks

2011-12-16T23:33:00.000-05:00

I learned pretty quickly when I was a child, not to underestimate my brother. Not only would it make him mad but it was a complete waste of time.

Not only could he do anything and everything that he put his mind to, but he could usually do it better than me!!

Now, with our Lizzie, it does not even occur to me that she might not be able to do something that she either wants or needs to do. Most of the time I honestly don't even think about the fact that she is missing fingers and that her precious, beautiful hands are quite a bit smaller than other 5 year old and y'all...

She doesn't either!

Now, tell Miss Lizzie that she is cute and you may have to take cover!

Not really, but she does not like being so small and CUTE!

I tell her constantly that she will grow but that she is forever stuck with CUTE...

Cause y'all, she is, just so stinkin CUTE!!!!!

Anyway, the fact that her hands and feet don't look exactly like other kids' hands and feet, doesn't seem to bother her much at all, cause...

She can do anything she puts her mind to so...

why sweat it!

Take chopsticks for instance!

We got them out the other night and it never even occured to me that she might not be able to use them...

Good thing too, cause...

She was hungry and wasn't going to let a couple of chopsticks stand in her way! Ha!

The Lord chose to move my heart through my brother and his life and because of that, our hearts were opened and moved for our Lizzie.

I have already seen how our Lizzie is moving the hearts of those she meets and those she loves.

I have seen the Lord use this tiny little package of courage, deternination and yes sweet girl, I have to say it - CUTENESS - to move the hearts of those who simply meet her.

Can you imagine how she moves the hearts of those who love her?

I expect great things from our sweet Lizzie and from those who love her, namely those amazing siblings of hers who have never, ever put limits on her either, who love her with a fierceness that just blows me away sometimes, who will use this love of her to do great things with their awakened hearts.

To read more Sunday Snapshots, go here

Wordless Wednesday - Curiosity...

2011-12-14T23:40:00.003-05:00

WET the cat!!!! Hehe!

Sunday Snapshot - What They Want For Christmas

2011-12-11T09:30:00.001-05:00

They don't want toys...

They don't want pretty clothes...

They don't want Ipads or Ipods or Kindles...

They simply want a family.

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Please pray that each of these precious children get what they want most for next year for Christmas...

a family!!

Please go here to read more Sunday Snapshots

WHY????

2011-12-06T09:09:00.001-05:00

THIS is why!!!!

This is Xiaoyun's testimony.

You might remember Xiaoyun as the 13 year old on my advocacy blog who was aging out and aging out FAST!

Xiaoyun has severe scoliosis and would not have survived without a family.

But Cindy...

Cindy and her family heard the Lord's plea for this child and brought her home - just in the nic of time - days before she aged out forever and lost her chance for a family, for life!

This is Xiaoyun now...

after love, after a family, after hope for a future.

Now, Xiaoyun shares her testimony and it is amazing!!!!

Please go here to watch this very special child give her testimony and find out why we do what we do, why we feel the calling so strongly, why we adopt when the rest of the world thinks we are crazy!

THIS is why!!!!

Sunday Snapshot - Request

2011-12-03T21:32:00.001-05:00

This is a rather odd Sunday Snapshot...

It is about pictures...

but pictures with a purpose, maybe...

pictures for a purpose and ...

a picture request.

I am working on a little something for Christmas and I need help.

I need pictures!

If you would like to send me a picture of your family at Christmas...

with your children and ...

if you could just include a note letting me know their first names and when they got home...

it would help - so much!

It will go on my blog and FB page so if you do not feel comfortable with that, I get it!!!

However, if you are jiggy with it

THANK YOU!!!

Just email me the pic and info to 5puppies@comcast.net!!!

I will leave you with some of this year's decorating pics.

Apparently it takes a village, y'all

and the pets

and a ping pong tournament

to decorate our tree!!!

Merry Christmas Y'all!

To join in more "normal" Sunday Snapshots (hehe), just go here...

Wordless Wednesday - Boo's First Christmas

2011-11-30T22:17:00.001-05:00

Christmas morning should be interesting!!!

Sunday Snapshot - Thankful

2011-11-27T23:37:00.001-05:00

As I sit here tonight, I am reminded of all that I have to be thankful for.

Given what has happened with our family, financially over the last 2 years, it could be very hard and it could be a daily struggle to stay thankful.

However, I am thankful for so many things.

I am thankful when I see my girls hold hands as they walk together to their friend's house.

I am thankful when the kids use good manners.

I am thankful for a beautiful 70 degree day in November...

and I am thankful for our struggles.

Yep, I said it!

I am thankful for all of the financial struggles that the past 2 years have brought.

Why, you might ask?

Well, without these struggles, we might never know to be thankful for hands that are held, well said "yes mam's" or a beautiful day.

It is funny how these struggles, these things that can make us so ungrateful, can make you so incredibly grateful, can totally change the way you look at life and what is important in your life and what the Lord tells you is important in your life.

Don't get me wrong, we are still so, so much better off than so many here in this country and certainly all over the world, yet these are our struggles and struggles they are but God has shown me how to be thankful and God has shown me so much of what I have to be thankful for.

I am thankful for this guy...

My dear sweet hubby who loves me for me, with all my craziness and "emotionalness" or should I say "emotional-mess!" LOL! He is having to say "no" to me right now on something that means the world to me and I know how much that is tearing him up inside and I know how much he wants to say "yes" because...

He LOVES me and I am thankful!

I am thankful for my eldest child, Christian

who just tonight told me that he had watched a documentary on teens who had no parents and how thankful he was to have us and how it "moved" him. I was reminded again tonight what a good and kind heart my teenager has, what a responsible nature and deep, deep soul. We had a long talk, a good talk and I am thankful!

I am thankful for my Charlie

who makes me smile just by being in the room and brightens my day, every day and who still (at 11 years old) will come to me for a hug and grab my hand as we walk along, who would rescue every single stray that his momma doesn't (heh). Charlie knows when I need something and is always right there to give it and I am thankful!

I am thankful for my Caleb

who has a heart so large that it really takes my breath away sometimes. Caleb who upon hearing that his oldest brother needed money to pay for something, gave him his last $12 and these days, around here, $12 might as well be $100! Caleb who has also offered to give me all if his money to help bring another child home, "cause I know how expensive it is, Mom and we need to bring another sister home." I am speechless and I am thankful.

I am thankful for my sweet Emmeline

who is the epitome of "be careful what you ask for!" Hehe! Em is part "pink loving" girly girl who wants so desperately to be a mommie and part "don't mess with me or I will hurt you" tomboy, with a heart of gold! My sweet Em who at 3 years old wanted to bring home all the babies so that "they would all have mommies and daddies." My sweet Em who can give her sister such grief but the minute Lizzie starts to struggle or cry, my girly tomboy will be right by her sister's side to try and make it all better and I am thankful!

I am thankful for my precious Lizzie

who has changed the course and purpose of my life. My sweet Lizzie who tells me 10 times a day, "I love you Mommie," even when she is struggling. My amazing daughter who inspires my heart and touches my soul every single day, who will, with joy in her heart, give away her last treasure, trusting that there will be more treasures to come. My beautiful Lizzie who refuses to be defined by her fingers and toes but by her heart, makes me thankful!

So, you see, despite the struggles and even because of the struggles, I am incredibly blessed and so very, very thankful. I am fabulously wealthy, beyond what money can buy and I AM THANKFUL!

What are you thankful for?

To read more Sunday Snapshots go here,

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T23:28:00.001-05:00

What I am thankful for:

Five kids...

Five dogs...

a very big truck (although perhaps not quite big enough) and ...

headphones to keep my sweet hubby sane! Hehe!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Sunday Snapshot - Swimming

2011-11-20T22:44:00.001-05:00

Ever heard of Christmas in July??

Well how about swimming in November???

Yes, it is the week before Thanksgiving and it was a brisk 80 something degrees here, so after a hot afternoon of soccer...

The girls figured it was time to go swimming...

in November

right before Thanksgiving

turkey who???

it was hot

and that was all it took

for a 20 minute quick trip back to summer

tomorrow may bring coats and scarfs but today

was all about bathing suits and swimming pools!!

and where were the boys you might ask???

Not here! Heh!

To read more Sunday Snapshots go here,

Lost but NOT found - by us!

2011-11-20T00:16:00.001-05:00

Can you believe it????

This adorable yet really dirty little kitten was found at one of our soccer games this season

and guess what???

He did NOT come home with us!!!!

Hahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!

Note relieved laughter!

Another kind hearted family gave this little one a home!

Thank goodness!

Sometimes in doggie and kitty rescue, you feel like you are the only one who does crazy stuff like take in lost little kittens or abandoned doggies.

It does my heart good everytime I hear of another sweet soul getting rescued...

especially by a family other than ours!!!

Hehe!

Thanksgiving - Really???

2011-11-18T22:45:00.001-05:00

OK so WOW!

It is almost Thanksgiving!!!

How did that happen???

Wasn't it just Halloween???

~~I am~~ the kids are still eating their Halloween candy!

How can it almost be Thanksgiving??

Sigh!

Time marches on!

So, just as I put up the Halloween lights and ~~I am~~ the kids are finishing up the remnants of their Halloween candy, the girls have their Thanksgiving Day program at school!

Em was a Native American...

Princess, if you ask her! Heh!

and Lizzie....

Well my precious little Lizzie was a

TURKEY

and happy to be one, I must say! Hehe!

I was so thankful for my princess and my turkey and so proud of both of them but...

The one thing that truly made me thankful was finding out that my little turkey is more than likely going to be released from the school's Special Ed program!!!

Yep, that little turkey has gone and done so well at school and at life, that her Special Ed teachers and her Kindergarten teachers think she would be better served spending her entire day, every day with her mainstream kindergarten class.

Oh boy is my little turkey going to gobble this up!! (sorry - heh)

She hated being pulled from her mainstream class to go to her Special Ed classes - but shhhhhh!

It is not quite official yet and you don't want to spoil the surprise!!!

Way to go my little turkey lurkey!

I knew those broken wings would eventually heal and you would soar!

I know, I know, turkeys don't fly...

but apparently this one does, with a little help from her turkey day twin!!!

Love my girls!